Description of the Prior Art
Radiometric and fluorometric methods for identifying and measuring allergy specific IgE levels in patient serum are commercially available and are known as the RAST test, for example. U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 29,474; 3,555,143; 3,648,346; 3,720,760 and 3,966,898 relate to these methods and reagents therefor. Enzymatic immunological methods for identifying and quantifying antigens and antibodies in liquids are widely used and are known as the ELISA and EIA, for example. Basic technology for enzymatic assays and reagents therefor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 29,169 and 3,839,153, for example.
A review of the current state of the art with regard to immunoassays for the detection of proteins in solutions is provided by R. Rose et al, Manual of Clinical Immunology, 2nd ed. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, pp 327-429, 775-849 (1980) and by A. Voller et al, Immunoassays for the 80's, University Park Press, Baltimore (1981), and the publications cited therein, the entire contents of both publications being hereby incorporated by reference. The chapter therein by T. A. E. Platts-Mills et al, "Radioimmunoassays in Allergy", pp 289-311, and the publications cited therein provide a comprehensive review of the field of this invention.
Procedures for binding proteins to insoluble supports have been primarily described. Antibodies have also been covalently bonded to insoluble supports as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,551,555, 3,553,310, 4,048,298 and RE-29,474. Binding of antibodies to polystyrene by adsorption has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,646,346 and 4,092,408, for example. Allergens have been covalently bonded to a variety of insoluble supports as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,760.
Polyethylene glycol has been used in protein fractionation processes as described by A. Polson et al, Biochim. Biophys Acta, vol. 82, pp 463-475 (1964) and A. Polson et al, Vox Sang, vol. 23, pp. 107-118 (1972).